Chapter 294: The Internet Disconnected Nine Nether Earth Python!
Filled with numerous questions, Xiao Yan turned to look at Xiao Xun'er. "Who is this Hun Yu? And why does it seem like Lu Bu is a bit nervous about him?"
Xiao Xun'er's lips twitched slightly before she pulled Xiao Yan aside and began explaining, in a hushed voice, who Hun Yu was and the events of that past battle.
The more Xiao Yan listened, the darker his expression became. "That damn Lu Bu! How many things has he done out there using my name that make people curse me to the skies…?" He paused for a moment, then sighed. "Fine, dealing with the Hun Clan and Soul Hall doesn't really count as outrageous. But this bastard keeps making me his scapegoat how is that fair?"
"Damn it. Looks like I need to stay put at the Falling Star Pavilion for a while…" Xiao Yan muttered through gritted teeth, his face twitching slightly. For now, staying here seemed like the safest option.
On the other side, Xiao Yi Xian also noticed the subtle flash of unease in Lu Bu's expression. A hint of concern flickered in her eyes. Last time, Lu Bu had separated from them for a year because of someone from the Hun Clan. Was it going to happen again?
"Don't worry, it's nothing," Lu Bu reassured her, gently squeezing her hand. He smiled faintly. "Back when I was just a Dou Huang, I already managed to handle Hun Yu. Now that I've reached the Dou Zun realm, we're on the same level. Taking him down won't be much of a challenge."
"Hm?" Ling Quan and Yang Hao exchanged glances, surprise flashing across their faces as they observed the intimacy between Lu Bu and Xiao Yi Xian.
"No wonder the commander doesn't seem interested in the young mistress. He already has such a beautiful companion," Ling Quan muttered.
"You remember what I told you the Woeful Poison Body," Lu Bu said, raising his chin slightly as he noticed their curious looks.
"Greetings, Sister in Law!" Yang Hao and Ling Quan immediately straightened up, their demeanor becoming respectful as they greeted her with full reverence.
Back during their time in the southwestern region of the Central Plains, the entire Black Submerged Army had been poisoned by the Hun Clan's Dissipating Qi Fog. Everyone had been affected, and without the antidote provided by Lu Bu, they wouldn't have survived. According to Lu Bu, the antidote had been crafted with the help of a companion possessing the Woeful Poison Body.
Now that they saw Xiao Yi Xian in person, their respect for her deepened even further. It seemed like she truly was a perfect match for their commander.
"Uh… hello," Xiao Yi Xian responded, clearly caught off guard by their sudden respect. She wasn't entirely sure what was happening and assumed their reverence stemmed from their admiration for Lu Bu. Was his position within the Black Submerged Army really this high?
"Commander, rest assured. Although Hun Yu has been returned to the Hun Clan, his Dou Qi has been sealed by our clan for the time being, preventing him from making any progress," Yang Hao explained. "At present, Hun Yu may still possess his high grade bloodline, but he's fallen far behind and is no longer a threat."
"Even Commander Gu Yao has already surpassed him in cultivation, not to mention you, Commander, and the other major commanders like Qing Yang, Gu Hua, and Gu Xing. Hun Yu's time is long past," Yang Hao added confidently.
Hun Yu had once been a formidable figure with a Nine grade or even Divine grade bloodline. His cultivation speed had rivaled even that of Gu Qingyang, far exceeding the likes of Gu Yao. But after his extended imprisonment and halted cultivation, even the once inferior Gu Yao had now surpassed him.
One setback had led to another, and Hun Yu had completely fallen behind. Unless a miracle occurred, he would never catch up to the likes of Qing Yang, let alone pose any challenge to Lu Bu.
Moreover, with the Hun Clan's brutal internal power struggles, Hun Yu would be lucky to survive within the clan, let alone rise to prominence again.
"Exactly," Ling Quan nodded in agreement with Yang Hao's assessment.
Not far away, some of the Black Submerged Army soldiers exchanged glances, their lips twitching. "Poor Commander Gu Yao he's been reduced to a benchmark for strength comparison…"
"True," Lu Bu said with a slight nod, realizing he might have overreacted earlier.
It was just like Xiao Chen in the Demon Fire Space. Originally, Xiao Chen had been one of the most famous prodigies of the Xiao Clan. If not for certain incidents, he could have risen to the ranks of renowned figures like the Three Immortals of the Gu Clan or the Four Demon Saints of the Hun Clan.
However, after being controlled by the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame and having his cultivation stagnate for thousands of years, Xiao Chen returned only to find himself outpaced by those he once considered unworthy rivals. Hun Qianmo was already a six star Dou Sheng, while Xiao Chen was merely a four star Dou Sheng. Even the less talented Hun Mo Elder could now match him.
It was a tragic fate, to say the least.
Nearby, after listening to Xiao Xun'er's detailed explanation, Xiao Yan's tense expression finally eased. The situation wasn't as dire as he had initially feared he still had time.
"You seem to get along well with these Black Submerged Army guys," Xiao Yan remarked casually, glancing at Lu Bu with a faint smile.
"They're alright," Lu Bu said with a shrug. "Pick out the strongest one among them, beat him up in front of everyone, and then you'll get along just fine. Afterward, you all drink together and have a great time."
Yang Hao and Ling Quan both twitched visibly. "What nonsense! You didn't just beat up the strongest you beat both of us too!"
"Oh? Who's the strongest among the Black Submerged Army's commanders?" Xiao Yan asked, his brow raised in curiosity. A glint of interest flashed in his eyes. Judging by Yang Hao and Ling Quan's strength, the so called strongest couldn't be that much stronger.
"That would be me," Lu Bu replied with a wide grin. "Didn't I mention earlier? I'm the Grand Commander of the Black Submerged Army. Among the commanders, I'm the strongest. Want to spar with me?"
Hearing this, Yang Hao and Ling Quan's eyes lit up. "Yes! Please do!"
They loved watching the Grand Commander fight more than anything.
"Forget it," Xiao Yan's expression darkened instantly. Was he insane? Sparring with Lu Bu wasn't a fight it was asking for a beating!
As the situation settled, Xiao Xun'er, under Yang Hao and Ling Quan's insistence, prepared to return to the Gu Clan.
She had barely been out for three or four days before Yang Hao and Ling Quan showed up in a panic. If she stayed any longer, the next ones to arrive would undoubtedly be Gu Yao or Gu Xing.
Helplessly, Xiao Xun'er prepared to leave. Xiao Yan watched her departure with a sense of loss written across his face.
He needed more strength.
"Lu Bu, can you tell me more about this Black Submerged Army?" Xiao Yan asked, taking a deep breath to suppress his emotions. Though the feeling of loss lingered briefly, it didn't hinder his determination. He knew what he wanted, and he would stop at nothing to achieve it.
"Sure," Lu Bu replied, smiling faintly. He proceeded to explain the Black Submerged Army's hierarchy the Four Great Commanders, the Eight Commanders, and their Dou Di bloodlines.
He specifically highlighted Gu Yao, explaining how Gu Yao liked Xiao Xun'er and how he was exceptionally talented and powerful, having reached the Dou Zun realm long ago.
After hearing this, Xiao Yan fell silent. His fists clenched tightly, and the weight of the pressure left him slightly breathless.
Gu Yao had broken through to the Dou Zun realm even faster than Lu Bu. Though the influence of the Dou Di bloodline diminished slightly at higher levels, the gap between them was daunting. Could Xiao Yan really catch up?
"What's the matter? Already feeling defeated?" Lu Bu asked, a playful glint in his eyes.
"…No, just feeling a bit overwhelmed," Xiao Yan admitted.
"An Ancient Clan? So what? They're still human. Humans die when they're killed," Lu Bu said calmly. "Even if it's the leader of one of the Eight Ancient Clans, I can still slap him flying. They're not gods. There's nothing to be afraid of."
"Exactly! Thirty years of fortune, thirty years of struggle don't underestimate a poor youth!" Xiao Yan shouted, his fists clenched and his eyes blazing with determination. "I'll defeat Gu Yao, and not just him! Even the head of one of the Eight Ancient Clans wait a second!"
Xiao Yan froze as realization dawned. "That clan leader you slapped flying… it wasn't me, was it?"
He suddenly remembered he was the patriarch of the Xiao Clan, one of the Eight Ancient Clans.
"Who else could it be?" Lu Bu spread his hands with a slightly embarrassed expression. "The other seven are all Dou Shengs. You're the only Dou Zong. Who else could I slap flying?"
Xiao Yan: "…"
…
A few days later, to the north of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, a massive azure bird soared through the skies, heading northward at incredible speed.
The Yi Snake Mountain Range lay north of the Heavenly Star Mountain Range, but the two regions were far apart. Even after two or three days of travel on the back of this enormous avian magical beast, they had yet to arrive.
"Can't your Falling Star Pavilion set up a spatial wormhole with the She Clan?" Lu Bu asked, a bit exasperated as he glanced at Elder Qi, who was steering the beast.
"Haha… Mr. Lu Bu, we're almost there," Elder Qi replied with an awkward smile before pointing toward the horizon. There, amidst the swirling mist, a mountain range resembling a coiled serpent loomed into view.
"That's the Yi Snake Mountain Range. A thousand kilometers around it all belongs to the She Clan."
As he spoke, Elder Qi let out a deep shout, and the powerful aura of a six star Dou Zong erupted from him, spreading like rippling waves in all directions.
He was announcing to the She Clan that members of the Falling Star Pavilion had arrived.
However, despite the clear signal, the She Clan, as the local rulers, showed no significant response. No there was no response at all.
"Something's off…" Elder Qi's expression darkened. Why was the She Clan showing no reaction to his presence?
"Let me take a look," Lu Bu said, his eyes narrowing as he released an immense wave of soul power, which began sweeping through the Yi Snake Mountain Range.
Elder Qi's face immediately changed. Such terrifying soul strength! As expected of an eight rank alchemist from the Pill Tower this level of soul power could crush him effortlessly.
"What do you see?" Xiao Yi Xian asked softly, brushing back a strand of her silver white hair.
"There's definitely something wrong," Lu Bu said, his gaze sharp. A cold glint flashed in his eyes. "I sense three Dou Zun auras. One of them is clearly weakened, while the other two feel overwhelmingly cold and oppressive very unpleasant."
Hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian's eyes narrowed. Her snow white hair began to flutter in the absence of wind, and an icy aura radiated from her.
…
In a grand hall atop a mountain peak within the Yi Snake Mountain Range, three or four middle aged men accompanied an elderly figure as they faced two young men sitting across from them. Both sides sat upright, the oppressive atmosphere making it difficult to breathe.
"Gentlemen, you barge into my She Clan's territory unannounced. What is the meaning of this?" a burly middle aged man growled, clenching his fists as an overwhelming aura exploded from his body.
"A peak Dou Zong? Impressive. But useless to us," one of the young men across from him said with a faint smile. Before the aura could reach them, it dissipated as if it had never existed.
"She Yu, stand down," the elderly man ordered gravely. Then, turning to the two youths, he said, "Gentlemen, just state your intentions. Apart from this old sack of bones, I doubt there's anything here worth catching your eye."
"Straightforward I like that," one of the young men, dressed in a fiery red robe adorned with serpent patterns, said with a grin. "It's simple. I want the Seven Colored Primordial Stone in your possession. Hand it over, and I promise not to destroy your She Clan."
"Who are you?!" The She Clan's ancestor's face darkened, his eyes turning icy. "How do you even know about the Seven Colored Primordial Stone?"
The information about the Seven Colored Primordial Stone had been guarded with the utmost secrecy, yet these two had come directly for it.
"My name is Yao Zhuo. I'm very interested in the Seven Colored Primordial Stone," the youth in the crimson robe said with a smile.
"You… You're Nine Nether Earth Pythons?!" the She Clan ancestor exclaimed, his face paling as he cried out, "How did you know?!"
The Seven Colored Primordial Stone was irresistibly tempting to serpent type magical beasts. He hadn't even informed his long standing allies, the Scarlet Venomous Vipers.
"You know we're Nine Nether Earth Pythons, yet you still ask such a question?" sneered the other youth, whose features were delicate but exuded an eerie coldness.
The Nine Nether Earth Python was one of the three great magical beast clans, known for their overwhelming strength. Even forces like the Pill Tower and the Sky Nether Sect couldn't compare to them.
But the Nine Nether Earth Pythons weren't just feared for their power they were renowned for their unparalleled intelligence network.
Serpents across the world acted as their spies, serving as the eyes and ears of the Nine Nether Earth Python Clan. Apart from the Ancient Clans, there was no information in the world that they couldn't acquire!
"Hand it over. And while you're at it, tell me where you got it from," Yao Zhuo said with a smile. Yet, a hint of coldness flickered in his eyes, and a terrifying aura began to spread.
The air in the grand hall seemed to freeze. The suffocating pressure caused the She Clan members to break out in cold sweats, their faces pale with fear.
"A two star Dou Zun?!" the She Clan ancestor's face turned ashen. This young man was a two star Dou Zun, just like him.
But even though they shared the same rank, his own Dou Zun status was frail at best any freshly advanced one star Dou Zun could match him. Against this two star Dou Zun, he would undoubtedly be crushed.
"Senior She Hao, I only want the Seven Colored Primordial Stone. Help me, and I promise your She Clan won't be touched," Yao Zhuo said with a smile.
"Indeed. We don't wish to stir up trouble. Once we have what we want, we'll leave," added the other youth, his snake like tongue flicking out as he licked his lips, his expression as sinister as a bloodthirsty viper.
"You… You…" She Hao's face turned beet red with fury. What should he do? Hand it over? But even if he did, would these two really leave the She Clan unharmed?
"Hmph. The Nine Nether Earth Pythons are so arrogant daring to run wild on my Falling Star Pavilion's turf!"
A cold snort suddenly echoed through the hall, shattering Yao Zhuo's oppressive aura in an instant.
Yao Zhuo grunted, his expression darkening as he shot to his feet. The radiant, sunny smile on his face turned menacing, and crimson flames flickered around him like a fiery tornado.
"Who dares meddle in the affairs of the Nine Nether Earth Pythons?!" the eerie youth bellowed. A massive burst of dark blue energy surged from his body with a thunderous roar.
"Another two star Dou Zun?!" She Hao's face turned even paler. Both of these youths were this powerful? Terrifying!
Before he could say more, four figures slowly descended from the sky, landing in the vast square outside the hall.
"Xiao Yan, Falling Star Pavilion's young pavilion master," Lu Bu declared coldly, standing proudly with his hands behind his back.
"Xiao Yan? Who the hell is Xiao Yan? Never heard of him!" sneered the two Nine Nether Earth Pythons, completely oblivious to the so called Dou Di prodigy.
Lu Bu's aura faltered for a moment. What? The Nine Nether Earth Pythons don't even have internet here? That's impossible they were supposed to have the best intelligence network in the world!
Where was it now?
Snorting coldly, Lu Bu threw out another name. "Ignorant trash! My teacher is Yao Chen, the Pavilion Master of the Falling Star Pavilion, the Medicine Venerable Yao Chen!"
"What?! Yao Chen?!"
The faces of the two Nine Nether Earth Pythons instantly contorted. No matter how ignorant they might be, there was no way they hadn't heard of Medicine Venerable Yao Chen.
Behind Lu Bu, Elder Qi of the Falling Star Pavilion covered his face in dismay. This is going to spell trouble for the Falling Star Pavilion…
(End of Chapter)
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